Barn Joo, a new Flatiron gastropub that opened March 4, takes patrons on a guided tour of Korean cuisine with a fresh, Westernized take on traditional Korean food.
Sitting on the ground level of Hotel Verite, Barn Joo is located on Broadway between 19th and 20th streets — just far enough to escape the crazy hustle and bustle of Union Square for its own peace of mind. The restaurant is minimalistic yet cozy, decorated with sleek wood panels and chandeliers.
“Barn Joo is not a typical appetizer-entree-dessert restaurant,” general manager Raymond Park said. “It is based around the concept of tapas.”
However, unlike typical small dishes served at a tapas restaurant, the portions offered at Barn Joo are rather large, successfully tackling both quality and quantity.
“Barn Joo’s goal is similar to what I’ve been trying to do for a long time,” chef David Lee said. “I’m trying to accomplish Korean flavor, not Korean food, using fresh, local ingredients.”
As Lee stated, most of Barn Joo’s dishes are not authentically Korean. But by using traditional ingredients such as doenjang (Korean miso) and gochujang (hot pepper paste), Lee recreates Korean flavor in a less intimidating fashion — a friendly gesture that invites New Yorkers to try Korean food without fear.
The restaurant’s rendition of ddukbokki, traditionally defined as rice cakes and vegetables cooked in gochujang, is a perfect example of the understated Korean influence. To accommodate American tastebuds, Lee mixes ground chicken with rice cake bits and shapes it into little balls that resemble meatballs. It is accompanied by a gochujang-based dipping sauce, so customers can adjust the spiciness of the dish.
Customer favorites include “Fly the Coop” wings ($13) — fried chicken glazed with garlic-infused soy sauce — and steamed pork belly glazed with Korean miso ($18), served with a refreshing salad made with onion and perilla leaves topped with a soy sauce-based dressing. Barn Joo will soon premiere items such as bai-top shell (sea snail) salad.
Alongside small dishes, Barn Joo offers an eclectic mix of innovative and original cocktails such as the bubbly cloud ($12), a champagne-based concoction topped with fluffy cotton candy, and orange blossoms ($14), a sweet mixture of cucumber gin and pulpy tangerine juice.
“Barn Joo is an entertainment complex,” Lee said.
As the restaurant’s slogan “Eat, Drink, Play” suggests, Barn Joo aims to surpass traditional restaurant expectations. In mid-April, Barn Joo will open its underground lounge, equipped with a full bar and stereo system for private events and concerts.
GLS freshman Susan Lee said the miso-glazed pork belly from Barn Joo is delicious.
“Although everything tastes amazing, pork belly is definitely my favorite,” she said. “That is saying something [because] I don’t even like pork.”
In the past, Korean cuisine has been overshadowed by other Asian cuisines like Chinese and Japanese food. However, Barn Joo’s bold attempt at reintroducing Korean flavors will surely go a long way in bringing Korean cuisine to the forefront of the New York City culinary scene.
A version of this article appeared in the Wednesday, Apr. 10 print edition. Daniel Yeom is a contributing writer. Email him at [email protected].